\ 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



018 533 636 • 



TS 1565 
.U6 U3 
Copy 1 



CONSUIIPTION OF COTTON IN THE COTTON STATES. 



J. L. W'AIKIXS, 

Cotton K.quii, lUiridii ,■/ Sliiilsiir 



[Reprint from Yearbook hi- Dki'autmkxt tv AGKicci.TruK fhi; 190".] 



\ 









i 



n 



cfoB 



CONTEXTS. 



I'MgC. 

Beginning (if nmnufacture of cotton 463 

Early domestic manufacture of cotton 463 

Household manufactures in ISIO 464 

Effect of the embargo on domestic manufactures 464 

Manufacturing in the South discouraged 465 

Cotton manufacturing establishments, 1800-1S20 465 

The cotton industry from 1830 to 1860 466 

The consumption of cotton in South Carolina 466 

The consumption of cotton in North Carolina 4()S 

The consumption of cotton in Georgia 470 

The consumption of cotton in Alabama 472 

The consumption of cotton in Tennessee 473 

The consumption of cotton in Virginia 474 

Consumption of cotton in several cotton States 475 

The cotton industry of the past twenty years 476 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



I'LATKS. 

Plate LIX. (iraniteville cotton factory, near Aiken, S. C, fixuided by Wil- 
liam Gregg, esq., 1846 466 

LX. Fig. 1. — Alamance cotton mill, Alamance County, N. C, founded 
by Edwin M. Hnlt in 1837. Fig. 2.— Leaksville cott.m mill, 

oil Dan River, Spray, X. C, built in 1839 468 

LXI. Fig. 1. — Cedar Falls cotton mill, Randolph County, X. C, liuiltin 
1S4S. Fig. 2. — High Shoals cotton mill, on .\palachee River, 
Oconee County, Ga., as it appeared in IS44, built liy Jacob 

Klutta 468 

LXLi. Fig. 1. — Tallassee Falls cotton mill, as it appeared in 1854 (used 
as an armory during the civil war). Fig. 2. — The textile 
building of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Mis- 
sissippi - 472 

TEXT FKiURE. 

Fig. 49. "Bolton Factory," the first cntton mill in rieorgia. built on ri>tou 

Creek, Wilkes County, in isll 471 

III 



CONSUMPTION OF COTTON IN THE COTTON STATES. 

By J. L. Watkixs, 
Cotton Expert, Bureau of Statistics. 

BEGINNING OF MANUFACTURE OF COTTON. 

The South began the manufacture of cotton at u very early date, 
and, althoui;h Beverl\-. ^las.s., is credited with the distinction of Iniilding 
tlie tirst cotton mill in the United States (ITsT). the historical records 
of South Carolina show that during the same year a small mill was 
erected on James Island, near Charleston. Three years later (1790) 
a mill was put in operation near Statesburg, S. C, equipped with 
"ginning, carding, and other machines, driven by water, and also 
spinning machines with 8i spindles each, with every necessaiy article 
for manufacturing cotton." " 

EARLY DOMESTIC JIANUFACTURE OF COTTON. 

Prior to 17ST the domestic mainifacture of cotton, stimulated hy 
the results of the Revolution, was extensively carried on among the 
Southern planters. Thomas Jeti'erson, in a letter to M. De Warville 
in 1786, says: "The four southernmost States make a great deal of 
cotton. Their poor are almost entirely clothed in it in winter and 
summer."* 

There are no trustwoithy statistics showing the domestic consump- 
tion of cotton iu the Southern States during the tirst half of the past 
century, but it is quite certain that practicallj^ the entire slave popu- 
lation, as well as the poorer class of whites, continued, as during the 
period alluded to b^' Air. Jefferson, to be clothed in homespun cotton. 
Even at the beginning of the civil war almost every well-regulated 
plantation in the South had its equipment of spindles and cards and 
looms. The same may be said of the homes of the poorer white people 
of those days. Just how much cotton was consumed in this manner is 
unknown. In 1800 the production of cotton in the United States was 
estimated at .3.5,000,1 mm) pounds, of which 17,800,000 were exported. 
The quantity manufactured in the whole country exceeded 8,000,000 
pounds, or, say, 35,5.55 bales (225 pounds each), onlj^ about "500 of 
which were consumed in regular establishments."'^ As the ''regular 

n Bishop's History of American Manufactures. 

''Jefferson's Writings, edited l)y H. .\. AVasliinijtnn. 

«■ Gallatin's Report on American Manufactures, .\iiril, ISIO. 

4li.3 



4(i4 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

establishments'' alluded to were located in the New E^ngland States, 
about 7,887,000 pounds must have been consumed in the domestic 
nianufactures of the Southern States. 

HOUSEHOLD MANUFACXrRES IN 1810. 

In regard to household manufactures in 1810, Gallatin says that by 
far the greater part of the cotton, Hax, and woolen goods was manu- 
factured in private families, mostly for their own use and partly for 
sale. " The articles made were principally coarse cloth, flannel, cotton 
stuffs and stripes of every description, linen, and mixtures of wool with 
flax and cotton. Information received from every State showed an 
extraordinary increase during the last two 3'oars, and rendered it 
probable that about two-thirds of the clothing, including hosier^', 
house and table linen, worn and used Ijy the inhabitants of the United 
States outside of the cities, was the product of family manufactures." 
In the lower counties of Virginia, throughout North Carolina, and in 
the upper counties of South Carolina and Georgia, almost the whole 
summer clothing of all classes was of household manufacture, and the 
slaves were entirely clothed in that manner. In illustration of the 
common use of homespun at this period it is stated that of 1,500 per- 
sons attending a militia review in North Carolina, less than 10 wore 
auj'thing but homespun." Statistics also show that in 1810 the manu- 
factured products of Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia exceeded 
in quantity and value those of all the New England States. Georgia, 
with a white population of 145,111 persons, manufactured in ISIO more 
yards of various cloths and stuffs than Khode Island with all of its 
manufacturing establishments. In Virginia, the cotton goods of house- 
hold manufacture amounted to 3,007,255 yards; in North Carolina, to 
7,376,154 (blended cloths); in South Carolina, to 3,083,188; in Georgia, 
to 3,688,534: in Tennessee, to 1,790,514; in Mississippi, to 342,472; and 
in Louisiana to 133,180. In addition to this, 1,272,322 yards of mixed 
cotton goods were manufactured in Virginia and 108,627 yards in 
South Carolina. In Georgia 3,148 yards of cotton goods were manu- 
factured in cotton mills. * 

EFFECT OF THE EMBAROO ON DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES. 

The embargo laid upon foreign commerce during Jefferson's and 
jSIadison's Administrations, and which resulted in such a remarkable 
development of the cotton industry in the New England States, also 
had a stimulating effect in the South. The South Carolina Homespun 
Company, with a capital of $30,000, was organized at Charleston (1808) 
to promote the manufacture of common domestic fabrics, and 4,000 
people attended the laying of the corner stone of "the first edifice on 

"Bishop's History of American Manufactures. 

''Digest of JIanufactures, Report of Secretary of Treasury to Senate, January, 1814. 



CONSUMPTION OF COTTON IN THK COTTON STATP:s. 4 (if) 

ii hiryo scale, in that part of the rnii)n. ilcvotud to doiiifstic inaiiii- 
t'acturc."" Two years later the Inion Manufacturing Company, of 
Maryland, incorporated with a capital of ^1, (100,000, erected two cotton 
mills, run by water power, on the Patapsco River, lo miles from 
Baltimore, and adjoining the mills owned by the EUicotts. Theyearfol- 
iowing (iSll) the Washington Manufacturing Company, with §100,000 
capital, built a water-power mill ."> miles from Baltimore, at .Tones Falls. 
The same j^ear (iSll) a cotton null was built on Upton Creek, in A\'ilkes 
County, Ga. 

MAXUFACTL'RINO IX THE SOUTH DISCOUHAO ED. 

Rut in spite of the occasional building of a cotton mill, manufactur- 
ing was not encouraged by many of the leading citizens of the South. 
Early in his career Mr. Jefl'erson had discouraged it, believing that 
the people would be happier, more virtuous, and prosperous in the 
pursuit of agriculture than they could be with the vices and evils of 
manufacturing towns in their midst. * The taritl laws then in force 
intensified the opposition to this branch of industry-, and John Ran- 
dolph, in a speech in the House of Representatives (April, 182-1), 
declared that if there was no other obstacle the climate was against it; 
and, that if we were to build up manufactures on the English system 
we should have j-ellow fever "not in August merely, i)ut from June 
to January, and from January to June." When the foundation of a 
cotton mill was laid at Moore's Mill, near Athens, Ga., in 1827, the 
editor of the local paper, in noting this important event, says: 

A sense of safety ami iiKlependenoe coinbineil, douljtless, with an expectation of 
profit has urged gentlemen to an undertaking against whicli their political cnnvio- 
tions are at war. And we are authorized to state tliat these sentiments liave by no 
means undergone a change: that their project is certainly not to give countenance to 
a system which they have always denounced, but it is to lie regarded as a measure 
unquestionably defensive. 

Later on, the project for a manufacturing company with joint stock, 
incorporated and privileged ]>y the State of ilarvland, was very nmch 
opposed; and the doctrine that it was better to buy of Europe and 
India was widely spread.'' 

COTTON MAXUEACTURINO ESTABLISHMEXTS, 1800-1S20. 

During the twenty years, from 1800 to 1S20, inclusive, there had 
been incorporated under existing State laws in the Southern States 42 
cotton mills. Eleven of these mills were in Maryland, 3 of which 

"Bishop's History of American Manufactures. 

''Jefferson's Notes on Virginia. Mr. Jeffei'son subsequently changed his views on 
this subject. In lSlt>, in a letter to Benjamin .Vustin, of Boston, lie writes: "Expe- 
rience has taught me that manufactures are now as necessary to our indc|>enilence as 
to our comfort." 

••■White's Memoir of Slater, lS8fi. 



466 YEARBOOK OF THK DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

manufactured cotton yarns, 1 cotton twist, and 7 piece goods, cotton 
cliecl'is, stripes, plaids, tickings, shirtings, and sheetings. Three mills 
in Virginia, 1 in Korth Carolina, and 3 in South Carolina spun cotton 
yarns. In Georgia 1 mill made cotton cloths; and in Tennessee 3 
mills made shirtings, sheetings, cassinets, and other cotton fabrics, 1 
cotton yarns, and 1 cotton rolls. In Kentuck}' there were IS mills — 
13 of which made cotton yarns, 1 cotton bagging, and 4 cotton cord- 
age, cassinets, and mixed cotton and woolen goods." 

The returns of the Fourth Census (lSi(»), which did not include any 
manufactui'es of a domestic or household character, give the luunber 
of spindles and pounds of cotton annually spun in each of the South- 
ern States as follows: 

Maryland, 20,245 spindles, cotton spun, 849,000 pounds; Virginia, no spindles, 
cotton spun, 3,000 pounds; North Carolina, 288 spindles, cottton spun, 18,000 pounds; 
South Carolina, 588 spindles, cotton spun, 46,449 pounds; Kentucky, 8,097 spindles, 
cotton spun, 360,951 pounds — total spindles, 29,218, and cotton spun, 1,277,400 
pounds, or, say, 4,839 bales of 264 pounds each.'j 

THK COTTON INDUSTRY FROM 1S30 TO 1860. 

During the thirty years from 1830 to 1860 very little is known as to 
the progress of. the cotton industry in the Southern States. Leaving 
out Maryland, the census of ISlti reported 248 mills, having 180,1*27 
spindles, no estimate being made of the amount of cotton consumed. 
But the report relating to this industry must have been very defecti\'c, 
for the number of mills in Mississippi was returned as 53, while the 
number of spindles given was only 318. Likewise, Alabama was 
reported to have 11 mills with only 1,502 spindles. There are no 
records showing the existence of a single mill in Mississippi equipped 
with then up-to-date machinery, while in Alabama there were only two 
such mills. Assuming, however, the correctness of the report as to 
the number of spindles, 180,927, the consumption of cotton at this 
time must have approximated 75,000 bales. 

During the decade 1830-1S4<<. about :><) cotton mills were constructed; 
37 during the decade 1810-1850; and lu during the decade 1850-1860. 

THE CONSUJIPTION OF COTTON IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 

South Carolina is entitled not only to the distinction of ranking first 
among the Southern States in the manufacture of cotton, but as being 
the first to undertake its manufacture. It is said that the historical 
records of the State contain an account of the building in 1787 of a 

"Report on Manufactures, Senate Document No. 45, Eighteenth Congress. 
''The reports of this census relating to manufactures were so imperfect that an 
effort was made in Congress to suppress them. 



Yearbook U. S, Dept, of AgrrcultuJe, 1903. 



Plate LIX. 



o 

o 



en 
O 



00 




CONSUMPTION OF COTTON IN THK COTTON STATES. 4<>7 

small horsepower mill on James Island, near Charleston, by Mrs. 
Kamafjc, the widow of a Carolina plantei-. In 1790 a factoiy, run by 
water power, was put in operation near Statesburg. In 1807 unusual 
interest was manifested in this braneh of industry, and efforts were 
made to establish small factories aud to introduce upon plantations the 
manufacture of cotton goods for negro wear and of cotton blankets. 
Two years later (1800) cotton goods were manufactured in Union 
district and cotton blankets in Prince William district. About this 
time "a factorv for making check goods and handkerchiefs was estab- 
lished at Charleston, which turned out some very pretty goods."" 
According to a report of the Secretary of State, in 1824, three cotton- 
yarn mills were incorporated under the State laws between the years 
1800 and 18:20, two of which weri> located in Greenville County and the 
other in Spartanburg County. 

In 1829 the second cotton mill in the State, run l)y other than horse- 
power, was erected at Pendleton, and at Autun. in the same neighbor- 
hood, another such mill was built in 18.38. In 1840 a mill was built at 
Graniteville. It was then the largest in the State and contained 8,400 
spindles and 300 looms and made No. 14 yarns and 4-4 wide sheeting, 
7-8 shirtings, and 7-8 twills. (PI. LIX.) 

In 1848. in addition to the above, though the date of their building 
is unknown, the following mills were in operation: The Saluda Cotton 
Factory, near Columbia, (which employed all negro operators, except 
a white overseer, operated 5,000 spindles and 120 looms, and made 
heavy brown shirtings and Southern stripes — a coarse kind of colored 
goods for house servants); the De Kalb, near Camden: the Yaucluse, in 
Aiken County; the Mount Dearborn, on the Catawba River, in York 
County; a small mill at Society Hill, in Darlington County, and the 
Marlborough yarn mill '' (location not given). Two other mills were 
in process of construction, one of which, at Charleston, having 3,165 
spindles and loO looms, and run by steam powei-. was put in operation 
in 1849. The following year (1850) a mill was built at Arlington, in 
Spartanburg County. So far as the records show, no new mills were 
built in the State from 1851 to the beginning of the civil war. 

As to the consumption of cotton in South Carolina prior to 1840 
little or nothing is known. The census of 1820 reported 588 spindles 
in operation and consuming 46,000 pounds of cotton, but the next 
census (1830) made no reports upon this industry. In 1840 there were 
15 mills in the State, operating 16,355 spindles and consuming approx- 
imately 6,150 bales of cotton. The progress of the industry since 
1850 is shown in the table on the next page. 

It was not, however, until about 1884-85 that the cotton-mill industry 

"De Bow's Review, Vol. VIII. 
!< Hunt's JIagazine, Vol. XVIII. 



468 



YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 



of the State l>eg-iiii its remarkahle development. The next census 
(iS9(() was a surprising r(>velation, showing that in ten years tht 
number of mills had more than doubled, the number of spindles mort 
than quadrupled, and that the amoiint of cotton consumed was ver\ 
little short of four times as great. The progress of the industr;y 
since 1890 is even more wonderful, the number of mills having 
increased from 3i to 136, the number of spindles from 332,78-t tc 
2,479,521, or 645 per cent, and the number of liales consumed fron 
133,342 to 587,126, or 340 per cent. It will be noticed that the per ceni 
of the crop consumed increased from 17.8 in 1890 to 63.4 in 1902-1903, 

Consumption and priidaction of cotton in South Carolina, 1S50-190S. 



1849-50.. 

l859-i;o.. 

1869-70. . 
1874-7n.. 
1879-80. . 
1884-85.. 
1889-90.. 
1890-91 . . 
1891-92.. 
1892-93. . 
1893-94.. 
1894-95.. 
1895-96.. 
1896-97.. 
1897-98.. 
1898-99.. 
1899-19110 
1900-1901 
1901-2... 
1SI02-S. . . 



Number 
of mills. 



18 
17 
12 
IS 
14 
31 
34 
44 
4" 
51 
50 
48 
58 
73 
76 
80 
93 
115 
127 
136 



Number of 
spindles. 



36,500 
30,890 
34,940 
70,282 
82,424 
217, 761 
332, 784 
415, 1.58 
467, 825 
,503, 269 
569, 033 
619, 849 
802, 854 
056, 198 
205, 272 
285, 328 
693,649 
908,692 
246, 926 
479, 521 



Number of 
bales con- 
sumed. 



9,929 
8,648 
10,811 
19, 945 
33,624 
77, 451 
133, 342 
164,814 
183,625 
200,219 
215, 228 
229,580 
257, 700 
297, 782 
398, 456 
466, 181 
489,-559 
501, 290 
607,906 
687,126 



Number of 
bales pro- 
duced. 



300,901 
353, 412 
224,500 
360, 000 
622, ,548 
611,800 
747, 190 
a59,000 
780, (Ml 
63.5,000 
0,50, 000 
862, 604 
764, 700 
936, 463 
1,030,0.85 
1,035.414 
830, 714 
743,294 
843, 660 
925,490 



Per cent 

of crop 

used. 



4, 
5. 
6. 
15. 
17. 
19, 
23. 
31. 
33, 
26, 
33, 
31, 
38, 
45, 
58. 
67. 
72. 
63. 



THE CONSUMPTION OF COTTON IN NORTH CAROLINA. 



North Carolina, which now ranks .second among the cotton-consuminj 
States of the South, was the third one to engage in the manufacture o; 
cotton, its tirst mill having been erected at the Falls of Tar (or Pamlico 
River, in Edgecombe County, in 1818. It began operating with 28) 
spindles, employed about 20 hands, and consumed 18,000 pound.s o 
cotton, or, according to the weights of those da3's, about 64 bales 
Two years after this mill began operations another was built (1822 
on the Catawba River, near Lincolnton. In 1829, or about that date 
a mill, run by steam power, was erected at Greensboro. It operatec 
3,000 spindles and 75 looms, and made sheetings, shirtings, osnaburgs 
and yarns. 



Yearbook U S, Dept. of Agriculture, 1903. 



Plate LX. 




Fig. 1.— Alamance Cotton Mill, Alamance County, N. C, Founded by Edwin M. 

Holt in 1837. 




Fig. 2, LEiKS/iLLE Cotton Mill, on Dan River, Spray, N. C, Built in 1839. 



Yearbook U. S. Ocpt. of Agriculture. 19C3 



Plate LXI. 




FiQ. 1.— Cedar Falls Cotton Mill, Randolph Countv, N. C. Built in 1848. 




Fig. 2. -High Shoals Cotton Mill, on Apalachee River, Oconee County, Ga., as it 
Appeared in 1844, Built by Jacob Klutts. 



CONSUMPTION OF COTTON IN THE COTTON STATKS. 4(U) 

The first of a number of mills in Cumberland County was creetcd 
iit Fayettcville in 1836. The following year (1S37) a mill was built at 
Kockingliam. It was burned during- the civil war and rebuilt in 1870. 
A mill at Cumberland and one on Alamance Creek, in Alamance 
( 1 lunty , were also erected during this year (1S37). The latter, equipped 
with i}'2S sjiindles and 16 looms, was founded liy the late Governor 
Edwin ]M. Holt, and is said to have been the tirst mill south of the 
Potomac River to manufacture colored cotton goods. (Pi. LX, tig. 1.) 
Besides the above, the records show 3 other mills in operation at this 
time — 1 at ]\locksville, Davis County, and 2 in Alamance County, one 
of which was at Haw River and the other at Cane Creek. 

In 183S the second mill was put in operation at Fayettcville, and 
one at each of the following places: AVittenberg, Alexander Count}-; 
Lexington, Davidson County (run by steam power); High Falls, 
Orange County. Some time between 1838 and 1843 four more mills 
were erected in the vicinity of Fayettcville. The 6 mills then oper- 
ating near this place were estimated to have cost $350,000. Three of 
these mills maiuifactured stout brown sheetings, another osnaburgs 
weighing one-half pound to the yard, and the other two yarns only. 

A mill was built in 1839 at Spray (PI. LX, fig. 2), and in 1842 one 
was constructed at Cedar Falls (PI. LXI. fig. 1). Besides the mills 
already enumerated, though in what year they were constructed is 
unknown, the following mills are said to have been in operation in 1844: 
The Salem Factory, in Stokes County (run by steam power); a mill at 
Franklinville, Randolph County; 1 at Salisbury; 1 at Concord; 1 at 
Milton, Caswell County; and 1 at Milledgeville, Montgomery County. 
It was estimated that the 25 mills in the State represented a capital of 
§1. 050,000, operated 50.000 spindles, employed from 1,200 to 1,500 
hands, and consumed 15,000 bales of cotton." 

In 1845 a mill was erected at Haw River, in Alamance Count}', and 
in 1S48 another was built on the Yadkin River at Elkin, Surry County. 
The following year (1849) a mill at Saxapahaw, Alamance County, and 
another at Salem, Forsyth County, were put in operation; also a mill 
at Raniseur, 1850; 1 at Willardville, 1852; 1 at Mountain Island, 1856; 
and 1 at Hope Mills, 1860. 

Little is known as to the consumption of cotton in North Carolina 
prior to 184<». According to the census returns for 1820, there were 
only 288 spindles in operation, which consumed 18,000 pounds of cot- 
ton. The next census (1830) made no reports upon this industry. In 
1840 there were about 25 mills in the State, operating 47,934 spindles, 
which consumed, approximately, 20,450 bales. The progress of the 
industry since 1850 is illustrated in the table on the next page. 

"Hunt's Magazine, Vol. X. 



470 YEAKBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUKE. 

Consumption and iiroduction of cotton in North Cai-olina, 1S50-1003. 



Number 
of mills. 



Number of 
spindles. 



Number of 

bales con- 

.sumed. 



Number of 
bales pro- 
duced. 



Per cent 
of crop 
used. 



1849-50... 
1859-f.O.., 
1869-70... 
1874-75... 
1879-80.. 
1884-85. . 
1889-90. . 
1890-91.. 
1891-92.. 
1892-93.. 
1893-94. . 
1894-95.. 
189.5-90.. 
1896-97.. 
1897-98.. 
1898-99.. 
1899-1900 
1900-1901 
1901-2... 
1902-3... 



28 
39 
33 
31 
49 
75 
91 
105 
112 
125 
131 
135 
133 
152 
161 
169 
190 
218 
229 
236 



40, 000 
41,884 
39, 897 
54,500 
100,209 
206, 172 I 
337, 7SG ! 
418,900 
475, 733 
543,809 
538, 486 
612,503 
773, 030 
884, 678 
919, 227 
003,268 
264,509 
428,066 
682, 272 
796, 390 



13, 617 
12, 045 
9,632 
14,428 
27,642 
54, 478 
114,371 
140,817 
161, 052 
182, 647 
176, 179 
221,264 
219,822 
245,177 
334, S73 
374,891 
442, 508 
408, 333 
609, 486 
631,255 



73,845 
145, 614 
144, 935 
273,000 
389, .598 
404, 100 
336,261 
588,000 
480, 000 
367,000 
400,000 
479,441 
397, 7.52 
521,795 
646, 726 
629, 620 
503, 825 
554, 032 
599, 668 
649,642 



18.4 
8.3 
0.6 
.5.3 
7.1 
13.5 
34.0 
23.9 
33.6 
49.8 
44.0 
46.2 
55.3 
47.01 
51.8 
59.5 



73.7. 
85. Oj 



The census of 1890, as in the case of South Carolina and Georgia, 
gave .surprising evidence of the rapid growth of the cotton industry,: 
showing that in ten years tlie nunjber of mills had increased from 49 
to 91, the number of spindles from 100,209 to 337,786, and the iiumhen 
of bales of cotton consumed from 27,642 to 114,371. From 1890 to 
the present time the industry has continued in a career of remai'kable; 
development, the number of mills having increased from 91 to 236, or| 
158 per cent; the num))er of spindles from 337,786 to 1,796,390, or 432 
per cent; and the number of bales of cotton consumed from 114,371 to 
531,255, or 363 per cent. The per cent of the crop taken for domestic 
consumption has increased from 23.9 per cent in 1890-1891 to 96. 3i 
per cent in 1902-1903. 

THE CONSUMPTION OF COTTON IN GEORGIA. 

Georgia, now third in importance, was .second among tlie Southern 
States to begin the manufacture of cotton. As early as 1798 a cotton 
mill was incorporated, but there is no record to show tiiat any organi- 
zation under the charter was perfected. In 1809 there was a small 
horsepower mill in operation at Louisville. 

But the tir.-it cotton mill of any consequence in the State was known 
as the ■• Bolton Factory," and was built in 1811, on Upton Creek, 9 
miles southeast of Washington, in AVilkes Couat5^ It was 60 feet by 
40, two stories, attic, and basement, and was constructed of brown- 
stone." (Fig. 49.) 

«M. F. Foster, Address before New England Cotton Manufacturers' Association, 
1900. 



CONSUMPTION OF COTTON IN THE COTTON STATES. 



471 



III ]M;irch, 1S27, the t'oundiitiou f)f a mill, witli 1,00(» spindles and 30 
looms, was laid at Mot)re"s Mill. 4 miles from Athens. This was the 
second in the State run by other than horsepower. In iS'2S four cot- 
ton mills are said to have been constructed and put in operation — 1 at 
Augusta, 2 at Milledgeville. and 1 at Indian Springs, in Butts ('ounty. 
A mill was also huilt at Atiiens in IS'S-i. 

In 1837 a mill was in operation at Columhus, and in iSSt* one was 
built at Roswell. In IS-K! two mills were constructed — one at Troup 
Factor}' and the other at Waynman\ille. 

In 1840 there were 19 cotton mills in operation in Georgia, operating 
42,589 spindles and consuming approximately 18,150 bales of cotton. 
A cotton mill as it apjjt'areil in 1844 is shown on PI. LXI. Prior to 
1840 there are no rcdiablc statistics of the amount of cotton consumed. 




Fit;, rj. — "Bultuu Factory." the tir.st cuttuu mill in Georgia — built on Uptun Crcuk. Wilkt-s County, 

in isn. 

Dfiimell" estimated the consumption in l,s4s-49 at 20,5O0 bales, and in 
1849-50 at 27,000 bales. 

In ISoO a mill was l)uilt at Jewell, in Hancock County. Three mills 
are said to have been in operation this year (1850) at Columbus — 1 
with 2,500 spindles, which manufactui-ed heavy osnaburgs; 1 with 
10,000 spindles; and 1 which contained 5,000 spindles and manu- 
factured osnaburgs and sheetings, and consumed J .200 bales of cotton.* 

The tirst of the mills which have made Augusta so prominent as a 
cotton manufacturing center was erected in 1858. A mill was built in 
18<')0, at Shoal Creek, in Hart County. 

"History of Cotton. 

''Hunt's Magazine, Vol. XXIII. 



472 



YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT UF AGRICULTURE. 



The progress of the industry since 1850 is shown in the following 

table: 

Consumption and production of cotton in Georgia, 1S50-1903. 



1849-50. . 
1859-60.. 
1869-70.. 
1874-7.1.. 
1879-80. . 
1884-85. . 
1889-90.. 
1890-91.. 
1891-92.. 
1892-93.. 
1893-94.. 
1894-95. . 
1895-90. . 
1896-97.. 
1897-98.. 
1898-99.. 
1899-1900 
1900-1901 
1901-2... 
1902-3... 



Number 
of mills. 



35 
33 
34 
47 
40 
53 
53 
62 
57 
69 
63 
61 
62 
76 
77 
79 
86 
107 
115 
115 



Number of 
spindles. 



51, 150 
85, 186 
85, 062 
131, 340 
198, 656 
349.277 
445, 452 
465, 811 
495, 564 
500,408 
515, 712 
551,806 
607, 251 
683,407 
709, 406 
696, 394 
969, 364 
016,2.58 
220,374 
292,695 



Number of 
bales con- 
sumed. 



20,230 
30, 235 
24, 821 
50,214 
71,389 
99, 414 
145,8.59 
164, 981 
178, 944 
187, 702 
176, 303 
218, 685 
200, 636 
227, 831 
285, 219 
281,527 
318, 302 
356, 878 
381,960 
417, 871 



Number of 
bales pro- 
duced. 



499j091 

701,840 

437, 934 

460, 000 

814, 441 

807, 400 

1,191,846 

1,310,000 

1,200,000 

940,000 

1,000,000 

1,247,952 

1,067,377 

1,299,340 

1,350,781 

1,378,731 

1,345,699 

1,271,573 

1,698,192 

1,425,044 



Per cent 
of crop 
used. 



4.1 
4.3 
.5.7 
10.9 
8.8 
12.3 
12. 2 
12,6 
14.9 
20.0 
17.6 
17.61 
18.8 
17.5' 
21.1 
20.4 
23.7 
28.1 
23.9 
29.3 



THE CONSUMPTION OF COTTON IN ALABAMA. 

Alahamu, which ranks fourth among the Southern States as a con- 
sumer of cotton, built its first mill in 1832. It was located on the 
Flint River, in IVIadison County, 12 miles from Huntsville. was run 
bj- water power, and manufactured yarns, cottonades, ginghams, 
checks, and colored and plain osnaburgs. The second mill in the 
State was erected at Scottsville, in Bibb County. It emploj^ed 20 
hands, worked T<tu spindles, and was run by water power. 

In answer to a circular sent out b\' the United States Treasury 
Department in ISW, making some inquiries in regard to the manu- 
facturing, commercial, and agricultural industries, one of the replies 
was from a cotton mill at Tallapoo.sa Falls, near Tallassee, which 
was established about this time. It reported 30 hands, and 130,000 
invented in the mill, which returned a net profit of 1.5 per cent. (PI. 
LXIa, tig. 1.) A cotton mill was in operation this year (ISii) ati 
Florence, and one is said to have been in operation in Morgan County, 
though there is some doubt of this. 

In 1850, or a)K)ut that time, a mill was constructed at Tuscaloosa, 
and the j'car following (1S51) a factory, located on Swift Creek, in 
Autauga County, was put in operation. It contained 3,000 .spindles 
and manufactured osnaburgs and No. l-I yarns. In 185-1: a mill was 
erected at Tallassee. The following table shows the progress of the 
industry since 1850: 



Yearbook U, S. Dept. of Agiicultute. 1903. 



Plate LXla. 





1 Si ' ^" — 

i ^^ 



I'&^^^y'^ 



s^. 




Fig. 1.— Tallassee Falls Cotton Mill, as it Appeared in 1854. 

[This mill is Idiatnl on iln.' Talhtpoosn River in Elmore f'oiinty. Ain.. niid wjis used as an 
armory during the eivil war.] 




■J.l^fJlHi^-CH'lf^. 



,m&- 






Fig. 2.— The Textile Building of the Agricultural and Mechanical College 

OF Mississippi. 



CONSUMPTION OF COTTON IN THE COTTON STATES. 
Consumpiion and production of cotton iii^Alahama, lUSO-iyOS. 



473 



Year. 


Number 
of mills. 


Number of 
spindles. 


Number of 
bales con- 
sumed. 


Number of 
bales pro- 
duced. 


Per cent 
of crop 
used. 


1849-50 


12 
14 
13 
14 
16 
17 
13 
17 
20 
22 
21 
23 
24 
31 
37 
38 
44 
49 
64 
54 


16,960 
35,740 
28,046 
68,480 
49,432 
69,308 
79,234 
89, 1.58 
109,448 
129,776 
153, 601 
163, 460 
187, 192 
215,004 
203,764 
3.53,052 
437,200 
650,966 
622, 794 
694,386 


5,208 
11,406 
7,385 
14,661 
14, 702 
18, 802 
29, %2 
30, 304 
39,709 
41, 409 
47, 438 
54,972 
58,998 
68,658 
97,404 
121,128 
154,841 
157,832 
196, 137 
201,303 


!J64, 429 

989,965 

429, 482 

620,000 

099, 054 

048, 700 

915.210 

1,011,000 

1, 075, OOO 

740, 000 

810, 000 

900.439 

063, 916 

833, 789 

1.112,681 

1,170,042 

1,005,313 

1,021,845 

1,'131,094 

956,215 


0.9 


1859-00 


1.2 


1809-70 


1.7 


1874-75 


2.8 


1879-80 


2.1 


1884-85 


2.9 


1889-90 


3.3 


1890-91 


3.0 


1891-92 


3.7 


1892-93 


5.6 


1893-94 


6.9 


1894-95 


6.1 


1895-96 


8.9 


1896-97 


8.2 


1897 98 


8.8 


1898-99 


10.3 


1899-1900 


15.4 


1900-1901 


15.4 


1901 2 .. 


17.3 


1902-3 


21.1 







THE CONSUMPTION OF COTTON IN TENNESSEE. 

On a .small scale Tennessee began the manufacture of cotton some- 
time during the first decade of the last century, as the records show- 
that in ISO!' a horsepower mill was in operation at Nashville. A year 
later there are said to have been -i small mills in operation at ditierent 
places in the State, though their locations are not given. There is no 
evidence of the building of any cotton mills during the next seventeen 
years, but in 1827, or alwut this time, a mill in ]\laury County, runljy 
water power, seems to have attracted .some attention, perhaps, becau.se 
of the fact that it was the tirst regular cotton mill established in the 
State, and was operated liy slave labor. 

At this time domestic manufactures were .so extensively carried on 
in this part of the country that a large majority of the population 
were clothed in homespun, and hence there was little demand for a 
better grade of manufactured goods. One of the dome.stic spinning 
machines in use at this period (1S28) in Tennessee, and other Southern 
States, and which is .said to have been invented by a Tennesseean, is 
thus described: 

It \va8 4 feet high, 3 J feet long, and 2 feet wide. At one end there was a gin of six 
raws, and at the other as many spindles, with a spool on each to receive the spun 
yarn, and in the center were placed two cylindrical cards as near each other as jios- 
sible without touching. The seed cotton being put into the gin, the handle of the 
machine was turned by the spinner until the spools were filled, care being taken mean- 
wlrde to mend any broken threads. A woman could sjjin five times as much yarnaa 
wi h the common wheel and cards. The number of si)indles could be increased to 



•±74 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

any desired number, but six was^iost ccjmmoiily in use. As the machines cost only 
$20 per spindle they were within reach of all classes. General Jackson used one of 
them at the Hermitage, and with it clothed his family and servants." 

Not until 184:0 is there any further record oi the cotton-mill indus- 
try in Tennessee. The census of that year returned 38 mills operating 
16.813 .spindles. The consumption was not reported, but it must have 
approximated (),50() bales of cotton. The .second mill in the State was 
built at Lebanon in 1844, but it used only a .small quantity of cotton — 
600 bales annually. It manufactured yarns and I'loth, the latter con- 
sisting of heavy white and colored jeans and !insej-s, Saxony tweed 
(made from Saxony wool grown in the State), ''intended for gen- 
tlemen's wear,'' twilled cotton bagging, tent cloth, heavy tarpaulin, 
and "'negro blankets." The following table shows the progress of the 
industrv since 1850: 





Consumplion and 


prodnct 


'on of cotton in 


Tcnnc 


Wf, ISS 


0-190S. 






Year. 


Num- 
ber of 
mills. 


Number 
of spin- 
dles. 


Num- 
ber of 
bales 
con- 
sumed. 


Number 
of bales 

pro- 
duced. 


Per 

cent 

of 

crop 

used. 


Year. 


Num- 
ber of 
mills. 


Number 
of spin- 
dles. 


Num- 
ber of 
bales 
con- 
sumed. 


Number 
of bales 

pro- 
duced. 


Per 

cent 

of 


1849-SO.... 


33 


36,000 


6,411 


194, 532 


3.3 


1893-94.. 


22 


95,219 


24,807 


276,000 


9.0 


18rS9-eO.... 


30 


29,850 


8,854 


296,464 


3.0 


1894-95 . . 


22 


9.5,866 


30,914 


304,981 


10.1 


1809-70.... 


28 


27,923 


6, 528 


181, 842 


3.6 


1895-96.. 


30 


115,743 


28, 732 


172,560 


16.7 


1874-T.i.... 


40 


55,384 


14, 443 


160,000 


9.0 


1896-97 . . 


28 


113,119 


30,746 


236,781 


13.0 


1879-80.... 


16 


35,736 


10,436 


330,621 


3.2 


1897-98.. 


29 


102,834 


35,773 


268,635 


13.3 


1884-85.... 


28 


90,793 


24, 427 


313,800 


7.8 


1898-99.. 


29 


103,366 


36,358 


322,820 


11,3 


1889-90.... 


20 


97, 524 


33,114 


190, .579 


17.4 


1899-1900 


32 


155.997 


34,882 


192,203 


IS.l 


1890-91.... 


23 


100,235 


32, 226 


345,000 


9.3 


1900-1901 


33 


196, 761 


33,305 


206,015 


16.2 


1891-92.... 


22 


101,534 


33, 759 


310,095 


10.9 


1901-2... 


32 


200,976 


45,240 


192,922 


23. 4 


1892-93.... 


■ 23 


110,485 


33,370 


207,576 


16.1 


1902-3... 


32 


241,078 


45,385 


317,149 


14.3 



THE CONSUMl'TION OF COTTON IN VIRGINIA. 

Undoubtedly Virginia Ijegan the domestic mniiufacture of cotton at 
a very early date, perhaps as early as any of the Southern States, but 
the records are not clear as to the date when factory manufacturing 
was first established. Gallatin's report sliows tiiat in 1809 a water- 
power mill was in operation at Petersburg.'' According to the report 
of the Secretary of the Treasury, made to the Senate in 18:>4, three 
cotton-spinning mills liad been incorporated under tlie State laws, one 
in each of the counties of Bedford, Louisa, and Powhatan. Rut the 
census of ISiiOdid not return any mills in operation, and the consump- 
tion of only 3,000 pounds of cotton. 

McGregor's Gommercial Statistics enumerates 7 mills in operation 
in 1831, working ',>.844 spindles and consuming l,1.5'2,00tl pound.s of 
cotton, or, according to the weights of that period, about 3,185 bales. 
But when or where these mills were erected there appears to be no 

" Tlie American Farmer, 1828. 

'' Gallatin's Report on Manufactures, ISIO. 



CONSUMPTION OF COTTON IN THE COTTON STATES. 4^5 

I'ccord. Ill l>>;>o a sito was (IoiuUimI aiul XlL'n.tKio suhscrihcil I'or the 
C'stalilisliiiu'iit of a mill at I't'tcrslm !■<:■. Ilowi'vcr, it is uncprtain 
whether the ])rojec't was a .success. There is no doubt that a few years 
hvter two cotton mills were oivcted at i\latoaca, on the north hank of 
the Apponiatox Uixer, ahout 4 miles from I'etershuro-. One of the 
mills went into operation in ls:',S; the other mill may have been in 
opcM'ation a year or two earlier, for one authority slates that in ISoG 
two mills wore erected at this place, and still another, that in 18:iT 
'"there were two mills located at Matoaca." The laltei- authority also 
states that in the same yeai' there was a cotton mill in IJichmond and 
one in Main hester, across the ri\'er from Ivichnioiid. both of which 
were ""in full operation.'"'' 

Ill ls4o there wei'o 2:^ mills in the State, operatincj 42,182 spindles 
and <()iisuniiiii>- ujiproximately 17, Tun }>ales of cotton. During this year 
a mill was erectetl at PetersViurg-. The commercial authorities esti- 
mated the consumption of cotton at this time at more than 20,000 
bales. The table followint;' shows the j)rog-ress of the industry since 
1850: 

CotiKiDiiplion and jirailiiclion of culton in ]'ii-giniii, JK'tO-IHO.l. 



Year. 


Nuni- 
lier i>( 
mills. 


Number 

of 
spindles. 


Number 
o£ bales 

con- 
sumed. 


1849-50 


27 


50, 000 


17,7S5 


1869-60 


ir, 


49, 440 


16,400 


1869-70 


u 


77,116 


9,671 


1874-7.1 


9 


54,024 


11,985 


1879-80 


8 


44,340 


11,461 


1884-86 


n 


58,649 


13..5,t6 


1889-90 


9 


94, 294 


22,731 


1890-91 


12 


87,981 


21,396 


1891-92 


V2 


95,532 


25,240 


1892-93 


10 


100,086 


25, 924 



Number 
of bales 

pro- 
duced. 



Year. 



Num- 
ber of 
mills. 


Number 

of 
•spindles. 


Number 
of bales 

con- 
sumed. 


9 


100,728 


27,048 


10 


127,408 


32,383 


12 


134, 425 


31,070 


15 


139,425 


39,405 


15 


133,497 


42,880 


17 


137,803 


44,502 


15 


165,452 


44,595 


15 


1.59, .532 


36,462 


16 


157, 370 


40,806 


17 


191,. 546 


43,331 



Number 
of bales 

pro- 
duced. 



12,000 
13,414 

7,964 
11,539 
12, 878 
13,090 

8.007 
12, 318 
14, 088 
15, 614 



CONSUMPTION OF COTTON IN SKVERAI. COTTON sr.\TE.S. 

The first cotton mill in Mis.sissippi was erected at Natchez in 1844, 
and the first mill in Louisiana some time prior to 1S40. as the census 
of that year reported 2 mills in the State. The first mill in Te.xas was 
built at Huntsville, in ISOii, by the State o-overnmeiit, and the first in 
Arkan.sas, at Cave Hill, Washington County, in 1844. jMissouri liegan 
manufacturing cotton Ijetween 1840 and 1S50, the census of the latter 
j'ear Ijcing the first oflicial report of any mills in that State. 

Kentucky, though ne\er a large consumer of cotton, began its man- 
ufacture on a small scale early in the last century. In 1809 there 
were tj small horsei:)ower mills in operation, and in a .schedule of 

"Farmer's Register, 1833. 

I> Montgomery. The C'otton .Maiuilacture.H <if llie I'niteil .Stales. 

27780—04 2 



476 



YEARBOOK OF THE DEl'AKTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



manufacturing establishments "' incoi'ijorated under State laws" from 
1800 to 1820, reported ])y the Secretary- of State to the United States 
Senate in lS'2-t, is a list of IS mills, located in 15 different comities, 13 
of which made cotton yarns, 1 cotton bagging, and i others cotton 
cordage, cassinets. and mixed cotton and woolen goods. The first large 
mill in the State was built afc Covington in 1S2S, at a cost of $66,000. 

The progress of cotton manufacturing in these cotton States has 
been slow, but with the exception of Missouri, each State shows sub- 
stantial gains in recent j^ears, and this is especiall}' true of Mississippi, 
Texas, and Kentuck}'. The consumption of cotton in ^Mississippi has 
nearly doubled since 1890; in Texas it has increased from 3,301 to 
20,713 bales, or more than .525 per cent; and in Kentucky, from a little 
less than 12,(»t)0 to 26,(!(i0 bales in 19o(». (PI. LXI«, fig. 2.) 

Consumption of cotton in several cottoii StaicSj 2S60-1903. 



States, mills, etc. 

Mississippi: 

Mills 

Spindles 

Bales consumed — 
Louisiana: 

Mills 

Spindles 

Bales consumed 

Texas: 

Mills 

Spindles 

Bales consumed . . . 
Arlcansas: 

Mills 

Spindles 

Bales consumed . , . 
Kentucky: 

Mills 

Spindles 

Bales consumed . . . 
Missouri: 

Mills 

Spindles 

Bales consumed . . . 



1859-60 


1869-70 


1879-80 


1889-90 


i 

f>, 34-1 


5 
3,526 
1.320 


8 

18, ,%8 

6,411 


9 
57, 004 
17,366 


2 

r,, nb 


i 

13,084 

1,707 


2 
6,096 


2 
4!), 101 
12,223 


1 

2, 71)0 

1.27S 


4 
S,878 
2,448 


2 

2,648 

246 


1 
12,056 
3,301 


1,(XH) 
408 


2 
1, Via 


2 

2,015 

G80 


4,331 

1,222 


K, 192 
■i, 9T0 


7,734 
.•f, (102 


3 
9,022 
4,0.'i0 


5 
42, 942 
11,980 


r>, llOO 
2,1S2 


3 
16,71,5 
4,992 


3 
19,312 
6,399 


1 
5,492 
1,385 



55,393 

15,7.57 

4 
57, 828 
16,429 

6 
40, 420 
12, 576 

2 
6,148 
2,103 

5 
48,600 
18,018 

1 

3,500 

671 



10 
88,584 
21,440 



62,222 
15,695 

6 
60,876 
16,868 

4 

17,160 
2,391 

10 
68, 7.30 
26,008 

4 

15,744 

3,720 



17 
139, 192 
34,0.50 

6 

67.2.52 
17, 320 

15 
74,816 
20,948 

2 
12,112 
2,894 



96, 388 
19,884 

2 

14,916 
4,, 587 



THE COTTON INDIT.STKY OF TIIK PAST TWENTY YEARS. 

Remarkable events have transpired in the cotton industrial world 
within the past twenty years— 

The United States has increased its <otton crop nearly 5.5Ot).o()0 
bales, or about 96 per cent: 

India's crop has increa.sed 1..50ii.imi() bales (of 4(to pounds each), or 
1?> per cent: 

Egypt's crop has increa.sed 570.000 bales (of 50U pounds each), or 79 
per cent; 



CONSirMPTroN OF COTTON TX THE COTTON STATER. 477 

Hussi;i, wliicli usoci to draw so hirgcly upon this country for lier 
raw cotton, is now supplvinj^ lier mills with :iOo.O(iO to 3oo.()(to hulcs 
grown in lior trans-Caspian provinces: 

Brazil has almost ceased cxpurtiny cottDii. sudi i-^ the huTne demand 
for her ci-op: 

The Continent of Kuropi' ha,-- increased its consumption of cotton 
2.4!»2,(i00 bales, or about i»5 per cent: 

lu the United States the consumption of I'otton in tlio North has 
increased 7<i2,000 bales, or 59 per cent; in the South. I.()()7,ft0() bales, 
or .509 i)cr cent: and in the whole country. "i.o^H.fXio bales, or nearly 
1-48 per cent: 

The consumption of cotton in P^ast India has increased 1.200.000 
bales, or about 2oo per cent, and lier mills now use about onedialf of 
the crop produced there: 

Japan has erected within her little Empire mills e<[uipped with 
l,;);>;.00(t spindles, and is consuming from OoO.OoO to 7oo,uOO bales of 
cotton annually, nearl\- '25 per cent of which is American cotton: 

The world's consumption of cotton has increased nearly 7,000,000 
bales, or about 94 per cent: 

The United States, the largest producer, has also l)ecome the largest 
consumer of cotton, hence the price of its staple is now regulated in 
the home market, and no longer in Livei'pool. 

But, notwithstanding the great increase in the world's consumption 
of cotton within twenty years, the overshadowing feature of the period 
is the phenomenal increase in consumption in the cotton States. This 
is of immense significance to the countries consuming American cotton, 
because every additional ln,00o l)ales consumed in this country means 
shorter time for some foreign null, perhaps its shutting down — 
assuming, of course, that no further expansion <jf the American crop 
and that of other countries will take place. 

The table on the next page shows that in 1850 there were 1(58 cotton 
mills in the Southern States, operating 245,810 spindles and consuming 
80,300 bales of cotton. In 1860 there were 2 mills less, but an increase 
of 58,741 in the number of spindjes and 21,388 in the nundier of bales 
consumed. The first census taken after the civil war showed 154 mills 
in operation, having 344,046 spindles, and consuming 83,068 bales, or 
only 2,768 more than were consumed in 1S50. Five years later the 
number of mills had increased to 181, the luimber of spindles to 
481,821, or 40 per cent, and the luunber of bal(>s consumed to 145,078, 
or 75 per cent in live years. 

In 1880 the census returns showed a decrease in the number of mills 
as compared with 1875, but an increase of 86,637, or 18 per cent, in the 
number of spindles, and 43,320, or 30 per cent, in the number of bales 
consumed. In 1885 the lumiber of mills had increased to 232, the 
number of spindles to 1,10(»,132, or 94 per cent in tive years, and the 



478 



YEARBOOK OF TBE DEPARTMENT OF 



018 533 636 

AGRlLUL,TLiKE. 



number of Iwles coiisimicd to 315. 84:^, or (is per cent in Jive years. 
By 1890 the luunht'r of mills had increased to 24o, the number of 
spindles to 1,55-1,1 »(i(), or 41 per cent in tive yeai's, and the numl)er 
of bales consumed to 525,856, or 67 per cent in tive years. 

Every j-ear since 1890 there has 1)een an increase in the number 
of mills and spindles in operation, and with the sing-le exception of 
1893-94:, an increase in the num1)er of bales consumed. 

Some years show astonishing developments. For instance, 44 new 
mills were put in operation in 1890-91, 48 in 1896-97, 23 in 1897-98, 
65 in 1899-1900, S2 in 1900-1901, 43 in 1901-2, and 15 in 19(12-3. 
In fourteen j'ears the numljer of mills has increased from 240 to 640. 

In 1890-91 the number of spindles increased 207,547 over the 
previous year; in 189y-96, 484,552; in 1896-97, 476,994; in 1899-1900, 
1,167,186; in 1900-1901, 591,196; in 1901-2, 931,839; and in 1902-3, 
577,670. In fourteen years the number of spindles increased from 
1,554,000 to 7,100,292, or nearly 357 per cent. 

The largest yearly increases in the number of bales of cotton con- 
sumed are the following amounts for the years named: In 1890-91, 
79,060; 1894-95, 130,023; 1897-98, 295,683; 1899-1900, 156,918; and 
1901-2, 304,346. In fourteen years the consumption increased from 
526,856 to 1,925,954 bales, or about 265 per cent; while the total crop 
taken for domestic consumption in the cotton States has increased 
from 7.1 to 18.1 per cent. 

Cimsumpliun and production of cotton in thr Southern Stales, 1S50-1903. 



1849-riO. . 
1859-«0. . 
1869-70. . 
1874-75. . 
1879-80.- 
18S4-8r>ii 
1889-90.. 
1890-91.. 
1891-92.. 
1892-93.. 
1893-94.. 
1894-95.. 
189.5-9r... 
1896-97.. 
1897-98. . 
1898-99. . 
1899-1900 
1900-1901 
1901-2... 
1902-3... 



Number ■ Number of 
of millji. spindles. 



168 
166 
154 
isi 
163 
232 
240 
284 
293* 
315 
322 
323 
3.54 
402 
425 
444 
499 
581 
624 
640 



344 

481 
5B8, 
1,100, 
1,554, 
1,761 
1,938 
2,088, 
2, 171, 
2,382, 
2, 867, 
3,344, 
3, 574, 
3,832, 
4,999, 
5,590, 
6, 522, 
7,100, 



Number of 

baleseon- 

suined. 



80,300 
101,088 

83,068 
145,078 
188,398 
315,842 
526,856 
005,916 
081,471 
733, 701 
723,329 
853, 352 
857.835 
981,991 
277,674 
413, 894 
570,812 
576, 786 
881, 132 
925,954 



Number of 
bales pro- 
duced. 



2, 469, 093 

.5.387,052 

3,011,994 

3, 832, 991 

5, 755, 359 

5, 706, 165 

7,472,511 

8,652,597 

9,035,379 

0,700,365 

7, 549, 817 

9,901,251 

7,161,094 

8,632,705 

10,897,8,57 

11,189,205 

9,142,838 

10,401,453 

10, 663, 224 

10, 630, 945 



Per cent 
of crop 
used. 



3,3 

1.9 

2.8 

3.8 

3.3 

6.5 

7.1 

7.0 

7.5 

11.0 

9,6 

8.6 

12.0 

11.5 

11.7 

12.6 

17.2 

15.2 

17.6 

18.1 



"The numbers for spindles and mills are for the year 1886. 



LIBRPRY OF CONGRESS 



018 533 636 • 



